A senior Tory MP who has previously voiced strong support for fracking has said he is “very unlikely” to back an application to drill on land in his own constituency.

In what is being seen as a test case for fracking in national parks, Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, has made it clear he is likely to oppose plans to drill in Fernhurst, a village in the South Downs National Park in West Sussex.

Celtique Energy submitted a draft application to drill on land in the area on Thursday. While a formal application is expected early next month, according to The Times.